snow day again

yesterday i was woken up by the sound of the smoke alarm going off in the studio

why?
were we on fire?

no
bernie was stoking the woodstove

now i ask you, how come a man as smart as he can be in some areas, can not grasp the concept of how to stoke a stove without smoking us out of the house?
after 5 years of doing this???

how come i am so dumb that i keep hoping he'll learn?
i came down naturally to see what was the matter, and i stoked the stove properly
i have to explain the difference in how to stoke a colder stove as opposed to a hot fire chamber
i create a sort of channel in the ash bed for a cold stove and get a lot of air going for a hot fast fire
in a hot fire chamber i just rake the coals forward and create a tiny air pocket in front of the air control
it's always a balance with a wood stove, as it is 'alive'

i came down myself this morning, three logs, no smoke spillage, and i've been warm with a wonderful fire every since.......... took me what about 75 SECONDS......
oh man
now onto cookies, yesterday was the peanut butter chocolate chips......two double batches, and now i am running out of room in the fridge
so i have to start to wash the tins and put the cookies in there. and then keep going..... i am behind on the cookie baking btw
and friday i am going to slatington/palmerton to pick up chickens with jen
8 pullets and a roo...........
sniff
i want new chickens..... although i have 4 and they are mostly laying 2-3 eggs a day now
i would love to have the sussexXorp cross chickens, just two of them.
but i will tell you, that i am so torn, as i adore the LOOKS of the buff orpington, just adore seeing all those fluffy little petticoats on those chickens...i love that they are that buff orpington color and that they are all the same
i am pretty convinced that the buff orpington color is pretty much the most satisfying chicken color (and chicken breed) there is.........and the sight of an orp makes my soul sing
i really like my orpington chickens you know....
hahahaha
although if i had the space, i would have a few separated breeding flocks of some of the really rare heritage heavy breeds

since keeping chickens is the new knitting or the new 'black' (like brown is the new black) i have hopes that people will be looking to the old breeds that were developed for the small backyard and tight quarters. genetic diversity is a very good thing, as is rescuing old breeds.

i like keeping chickens, and ducks, and other 'farm' animals. i think it should be right up there with the right to bare arms (bear? bare? i don't remember which is the right spelling for this)
the right to feed ourselves, for many people has been taken away by zoning and home owner associations
i would say that the right to FEED ourselves is basic, inalienable, and overrides anything
no?
and as we watch the economy tank......... folks need to know how to do this

ok off the soap box,

now the snow outside seems to be turning to rain, as the light comes up i am seeing glops of snow fall down in a wet snow/rainy sort of way
wonderful....... the pens are going to be flooded again....or at least the back pen will be, but i have hay out back, which will allow me after to mop up without too much effort
thank goodness
and i purposely didn't spread as much bedding as i will later this winter, so it wasn't too much of a nightmare
well it's getting lighter and lighter out, i think the ducks can possibly start going out by 8:30 or so
i am going to put a few more logs on the fire and damp it down for the day
i have gingerbread to make today
and then see what i have....... i may still have to make sugar cookies (i am going to roll them if i have to do them, in colored sugars and then slice)

everyone have a nice day